Tar-Atanamir (Q "Jewel of Man", pron. [aˈtanamir]) was the thirteenth King of Númenor.

History

Tar-Atanamir succeeded his father, Tar-Ciryatan and ruled for 192 years, from 2029 until his death. He was the first King that refused to willingly give up the Sceptre to his heir. Thus every King afterwards did not renounce his reign, with the notable exception of Tar-Palantir.

He was one of Númenor's most famous and powerful Kings, but also one of its proudest and most greedy. He exacted tribute from the Men of Middle-earth, and opposed the Ban of the Valar (though he did not dare to actually defy the Ban). He is known as "the Great", and also "the Unwilling", because he refused to give up his life freely, and lived on into old age and senility.

His reign is thus generally considered to constitute the beginning of Númenor's moral decline.

↑ In the Tale of Years, it says in S.A. 2251 "Tar-Atanamir takes the sceptre", however, Atanamir died in 2221. 2221 is itself an emendation of 2251, and the former (2221) appears in the later tables, while the latter (2251) in the earlier tables: therefore 2251 (properly 2221) should have read "Death of Tar-Atanamir. Tar-Ancalimon takes the sceptre."